Sitting out on the “lanai”, “balcony” to us Midwesterners, and the ocean is literally right here. The sea wall is maybe ten feet from the condo. We thought last night was high tide. We were wrong. The waves are coming all the way up to the sea wall, crashing. Occcasionallly droplets reach me here where I am sitting.
It is four in the morning. We got little sleep Monday night as we left at two thirty for the airport. It was a long but good day of travel with Scott. We watched movies, read, listened to podcasts, did puzzles, napped.
Last night we settled into our condo and spent time with Eric and Vicky on the lanai. The guys walked to get us food and vicky and I couldn’t resist putting out feet in the ocean. There are steps right into the water ten feet from the bottom of the steps to the first floor. I am spoiled but I have never stayed this close to the ocean.
Oh I love my Grandbabies so so much. They visited here this weekend. It was certainly chaotic and stressful, mostly due to Wilson, but so much I want to savor and remember.
I love the feeling of little squirmy Grandbabies snuggling with me. I got the best snuggles this weekend, while watching a movie last night and then, first thing this morning, I woke up and saw Emmet standing on the trunk at the foot of my bed, Henry right behind. They slept with Scott on the livingroom floor last night and he must have gotten up in the night. They woke up alone and came to find me, braving Wilson. I reached for them with open arms and they came to me, snuggly in their little pj’s. Henry is not super snuggly during the day but first thing in the morning, he is a little sweetie. I can almost always count on Emmet for a hug or snuggle except when he is really playful.
Eleanor’s little smile and personality. She is so so sweet. She played with me , making sounds and giggling when I repeated them, seeking me out. Her little hand in mine walking through the house. She said Papa this weekend. I was sitting next to her on the couch and she reached her little arms in the air toward him and said “Papa” super clearly.
Henry saying the funniest things. Before they came, Leah sent a video of the boys showing off their “pack packs” that they packed themselves to come to Grandma’s house. (Scott does live here too but the boys call this “Grandma’s house”. They got dressed by themselves, too, Henry’s clothes completely backwards. When he and i were playing when he first got here, I pulled on the little ties on his shorts that were hanging from his waistband in back and said they looked like a tail. So he decided to switch them. He pulled them down and said, “I didn’t bring underpants but it’s going to be ok”. They he announced to me that he has a penis. Cracked me up.
Also on our walk, Henry told me he wanted to hold my hand forever. Heart melt.
Oh my goodness, we played. We played ping pong paddles and legos, magnets and paper airplanes. They loved the new couches and put them up and down over and over and almost even tipped them over. By the time they left, Eleanor had even found the operating buttons. They found the punching bag in the basement today.
I always clean up as soon as they leave but something in every room reminds me of them. The little stool near the potty, Eleanor taking my hand so she could climb up on it. Emmet and Henry standing at the toilet using it (Henry peed outside once). And Emmet sweetly inviting Eleanor to go to the bathroom with him so she could see how cool the bathroom is. Henry had to tag along too. The kitchen, Scott and Leah having a good talk, the boys sitting at the island, of course, Henry tipping his chair and kicking his chin on it. He fell off the chairs at the other high table this weekend, too, poor buddy. Eleanor sitting at the high chair feeding Moose. She isn’t the first to do that and she won’t be the last. I’ll find legos and ping pong balls and magnets all over the house for weeks.
We had such a wonderful weekend in Denver. Wilson did great in the car both ways, just laid there and slept. Oscar and Wilson played played played. I was worried about Sierra and Wilson but they got along fine.
We had some great food, ice cream, Pho, pizza, fresh fruit and yogurt, some great conversation, and some great walks. We went to Target twice. We watched two movies, “I’m Your Man,” and “Dune” in Hannah and Kent’s new basement.
Saturday started with Hannah and Scott and I journalling, drinking coffee, and eating fresh fruit and yogurt. Kent joined us and he and I had a great talk. Hannah and I went through all her clothes and I benefitted then we went through the clothes Leah sent and organized Hannah’s new closet.
We rested some then went on a walk with all three dogs to a beautiful nearby park, Bear Creek Park. The fall colors were amazing. We let the dogs play in the water. Of course, Wilson was dog reactive which is discouraging. I saw cute Prairie dogs and took some fun video and pics for Wilson’s tik tok.
Saturday night went to a really fun restaurant called The Happy Camper. It is hip and young (we were by far the oldest there). It has camp fire group settings, picnic tables, cool lighting and fun food. We had goat cheese bread sticks and elotes dip for appetizers, then pizza then fruity pebbles ice cream sandwiches for dessert. I drank two mules. Yikes.
Sunday we rested and took the dogs on another walk and went out to eat at Park Burgers then Sweet Cow for ice cream.
When you have such a great weekend, a 7 hour drive on either end seems like nothing.
I loved Genesis. The old Genesis gym before covid. I knew people in my classes and in the locker room to say hi to, even to have conversations with. We were a community. Covid messed that up and the new gym complicated it further. Now, can go into Genesis and maybe say a short hello to someone I recognize, usually one of the trainers. I rarely see anyone I know. I did step class but I have a conflict now and haven’t gotten back into the classes. I do like the sauna and the hot tub and some of the new machines. But I rarely make it there once a week.
Before covid, I discovered 9 Rounds and was going back and forth between Genesis and 9 Rounds. Now i go to 9 Rounds 5 or more times per week. I love it!
When you walk in the door, the trainers yell hello to you BY NAME! That means a lot to me. You check in and put on wraps and wait for the bell and jump in.
Round One is jump roping which I am improving at. Rounds are two minutes each. Between each round is active rest. The trainers yell out something like plank and hold or squat jumps and the whole gym does the same thing for 30 seconds.
Round Two is weights, usually two different exercises that combine upper and lower body. Another 30 second active rest, put on the gloves and you’re ready for Round Three, the tiny bag. The combos are written on a board at each round but the trainers come over and demonstrate individually. Sometimes they give pointers and help your form but they almost always yell out encouragement, again, often by name.
Round Four is a big, tall bag so there is usually some sort of kicking involved in the action. Round Five is a giant round bag, my favorite, as we usually get to shin kick or knee kick it. Sometimes the trainers yell out punch party which means two or three people go to one bag and punch it out as fast as possible until you about pass out. Also, once or twice, during rounds 4-6, the trainer comes up with the pads and has you punch out combinations with them. They give pointers and help you build up to as many steps as you can handle, “One, Two, slip, knee, three four, elbow, duck…..”. Its challenging but a lot of fun. And hard work.
Round Six is another tall bag. Round 7 is also one of my favorites, a horizontal cylinder bag for shin kicks, knees and hammers among other things. Round 8 are the tear drop bags which are so hard but I enjoy them and am getting better. Then Round 9 are crazy abs.
The thing I like the best about 9 Rounds is the variety. Like tonight. When I came in, they asked if I was ready for Max Out. I had no idea what it was even though I’ve been there for over a year. We kept track of the number of reps we got on each round. My trainer challenged me to 800. I wasn’t sure I could do it as I got 132 jump ropes then 30-50 on each of the other rounds, for example, 1, 2, 3, 4, knee is one rep. I got a hundred something on the tear drop bag even with my shoulders screaming and then a decent number on the v sit one leg ups. I ended up with 932. Sometimes we run out the door and down to the end of the sidewalk, sometimes push a sled across the room and back. There are chows when we keep track of reps on one round at a time. And so much more.
The second thing I like about 9 Rounds is that it is 30 minutes in and out. I always burn close to 300 calories and sweat profusely.
Another favorite thing is the positivity and relationships. Everyone is cheerful, all the time. The trainers all know each other and get along. They all work out there, too.
Owners Melissa and Tim are some of my favorite people. They can be seen there training or working out themselves. One day I got to watch Mel training Tim who was working out. She had the pads and he was not holding back punching away.
I just recently got 100 work outs. I got a t shirt and a selfie posted. When I get 400 more, I’ll get golden gloves!
What a great day. I was nervous about how Wilson would do as he hasn’t been to visit the Grandbabies since he was very little and Henry has become nervous around dogs.
We got there about 10 and went through the back gate and let Moose out. The two dogs sniffed each other and then chased each other though the giant fenced yard, Wilson bounding of course.
I went in and said hello and I don’t even remember the specifics of letting Wilson in or the kids came out. It all went really well. Wilson kissed Eleanor many times and she pushed him away with her hand. But she also kept standing about 5 feet away from him with her hand in the air and said, “Ah”, which means, “Hi”. Henry and Emmet got used to him and all was well.
Wilson slept there in the car. His giant muddy feet were a problem but we toweled him off the best we could. He loved the yard. We even took him for a walk and let him play in the creek.
I love my babies and my visits there. Today Emmet didn’t feel well. At one point he hit his head playing hard with Papa and laid on me and just cried.
We took the boys for a walk without Leah and Dave with the boys on their scooter and balance bikes. When we got home, they went in their room to change. I peeked in and they were in there hanging out buck naked. Cute little guys. I go to wake Eleanor up from her nap and she grinned when she saw me.
When we were ready to leave, after everyone had hugged everyone, Henry ran up and said, “Gwamma, you forgot something. A kiss” and kissed me on the cheek.
Diego was the third Sheltie I’ve had in my lifetime. He was Scott and my second. We tried to rescue a sheltie but that didn’t work out so we drive to Arkansas to get our little buddy.
As a puppy, Diego was a pogo stick with teeth. I remember he drank some of my coffee and bounced all around outside. He had terrible stomach problems the first six months of his life. He used to fall asleep in the little tray where we kept the TV remotes. He was the same size as Rex for a very long time.
We had a number of dog sitters for Diego. Ashley, Stacy, Mack, Korrie and Joy. They loved him too.
Diego lived through three dogs; Professor Rex and then Wilson. He had a love-hate relationship with Wilson. They argued and played together like siblings.
Diego had a sound sensitivity to clanks and reverberations and clicking all really bothered him , motors, the blender, the hairdryer, the vacuum. On the Fourth of July we stayed home for years. We had to wrap him up in a blanket and medicate him and hold him. He even went through the front window once. We tried several kinds of medications and nothing helped. He really never even went on a walk with us his whole life. But he loved his backyard. He ran all around that backyard. He chased squirrels. He got one once. Diego banged the gutter pipes.
I will miss him coming to the door to greet me when I come home. I will miss him coming in the bathroom to say good morning, sleeping in the hallway to guard me.
He was really Scott’s dog. And he loved kids too. We’ll all miss him so much.
Diego‘s last afternoon he took a nap on my bed between my legs with a blanket over him. Wilson slept sideways across Scott. We ran to the coffee shop to take care of a problem and when we got home we found him on the deck. He looked really peaceful like he hadn’t suffered.
Take care of yourself Diego. Say hi to Rex. We love you so much.
I spend so much time on facetime or watching videos of my Grandbabies it is surreal when I am actually with them. I wonder if they feel it too.
I love going to visit. Leah has created such a happy home, filled with light and joy and laughter. I brought bubbles so we headed outside to play while Leah made lunch. We ate lunch then played cars downstairs then spent the rest of the afternoon out on the driveway with a hose and a bucket. The boys stripped down to their underwear, Eleanor to her diaper and we simply played.
Eleanor has this hilarious evil laugh now that is so precious. She walks all over trying to do what the boys are doing.
I want to put all the feels in a bottle and seal it up. In the meantime, I will post pictures and videos I can savor.
Scott and I are stepping out of our rut when we can. We did some late swims at the pool before it closed.
Got some new furniture that is a game changer and were able to bless Andrea with the old sectional which miraculously fit into her house.
We went to Lincoln to see Garth Brooks. It was scary due to covid and the crowds and a big pain in the ass but a special and fun time.
Wilson is both a joy and a challenge. He is calming down some and turning into the cuddly companion I dreamt of. But he is highly dog reactive and a naughty boy at home. Some pretty huge stressful moments. We are very grateful for Mutt school and for our friend Kathy who babysits him several times per week. I think he will be a good therapy dog when we get there from here.
Some really special memories with the grandkids lately, mostly over facetime although we love going there to see them in their new house and we can actually stay over now. The other day Emmet casually popped off some math that blew Leah and my minds. He could answer what age he will be when Henry is a certain age and also the flip. We asked him when Henry is 8, how old will you be? He answered correctly every time.
Yesterday’s conversation with Henry. “We took a shower, Emmet is taking a real shower.” Then “I look out and see the sun goes down and then I see the stars and the moon. I want stars and planets for my birthday.” Then, “I thinking I come to your house Gwamma.” I reminded him that Wilson is big and he said, “Yeah, I get nervous around dogs.” Emmet is 5 1/2, Henry 3 1/2 and Eleanor is turning one this weekend. Last week on FaceTime when Eleanor saw my face, she walked toward the phone with her arms out. I love them so much.
The coffee shop is doing really well, lots of cool things, partnerships with Ethos, Therapie, MCC, 9 rounds and more, cool events, music tonight, yoga. We had our one year anniversary.
Natalie, Homestead graduate and friend lived here for the summer which was fun and a bit of a wild ride. She moved home and got married and we are happy for her.
Mom is hanging in there but fading fast. Lots of medical appointments and trying to put help in place for her. Trying to treasure every moment we have.
The practice is busy busy. Working to find balance. Just took on 4 new clients and feel overwhelmed but I really like doing this.
Missing my brother and Julie. It was her birthday yesterday.
Going to Newton for Eleanor’s birthday tomorrow. Wilson to the groomer today, clients and Homestead then music in the coffee shop tonight.
Scott and i went to starlite in kc last night to see Jason Mraz. Such positive, fun music and a great night overall.
We met Joel at his loft apartment downtown then headed over to Westport to pick up Kayla. We ate at Char Bar, yummy bbq.
On the way into the concert, a retired gal in a cart asked us if we wanted a ride. A mom and her daughter jumped on and so did we. The gal drive the opposite way from the concert then couldn’t get the car to go up the hill! We chuckled as she tried again then went another route, ending up taking at least three times as long as walking to the theater would have taken.
It was perfect weather and our seats were amazing, third row center. The opening band was Southern , a hip young black gal with two female back up singers, one who looked 12 and the other the drummer. She danced and belted out great songs including “Don’t Give Up” which the audience sang to. Such fun.
We are probably the only people in the audience who enjoy watching the stage hands tear down and set up for the next band because we’ve been there done that so many times.
Jason and his band came out wearing black adidas jackets over tie dye shirts. We love his back ground singers, to which he added a black female vocalist that you can hear really well digitally, and his female lead guitarist who plays tons of riffs and solos. He has added three brass players, sax, trumpet and trombone. The trumpet player was an older guy with super long braids that really got into the performance and songs. The background singers and brass players took turns coming down into the main stage for certain songs. We are into background singers.
Jason’s music is so upbeat, positive, encouraging and just downright fun. We sang his music in the car all the way there and all the way home.
I had a facial today, my first. It was so much more than I expected. It got me thinking about other sensual experiences I’ve had.
Like my first massage. On the beach in Mexico. White curtains blowing in the breeze. I remember that he massaged my hands which I found a little too intimate.
I love massages. My sister in law gives great ones. Full body massages, very professionally. I get so relaxed that I get concerned I’m gonna drool.
Once at a resort in the Dominican Republic, I experienced a water spa. I’ve been to two since then but none as amazing as the first. It was raining lightly that day. We followed the gal to the locker room on board walks in a rain forest, the rain falling lightly on our hair. She gave us robes and pointed out the outdoor shower. I washed my hair with amazing smelling shampoos and body wash. We were then led into a wet sauna, so steamy we couldn’t see our hands in front of us. A couple of minutes later, the gal opened the room and threw something on the floor. Eucalyptus. Smelled amazing.
Next we walked along in our robes, sweat dripping from every pore, to a small closet with a bucket. She pointed to the chain. I pulled it. Cold water splashed all over me. It felt amazing.
Next was walking on hot rocks, then she led us down into a big, warm pool. She instructed us to lean over a rock ledge in the center then she turned on a water cannon and shot warm water in streams all over our backs, massaging them. Unbelievable.
Next she showed me into a small pool with three steps down. She said to try to stay for one minute. It was absolutely freezing. I managed to dip down, it took my breath completely away but did it. I had goose bumps over my entire body as i got out. She led us back to the pool. As I went down the steps and warm water engulfed me, every pore tingled, tingled as my skin warmed. We finished with a standard hot tub and then a dry sauna.
Lying on a beach just about anywhere. The hot sun warming my skin, the ocean waves washing up on the beach after crashing gently, the smells of coconut oil and the sea. Cold drink, usually an icy sweet strawberry Marguerite in hand.
The facial today was much more sensual an experience than I expected. The room was set up like a massage with a table that I laid under the covers, the lights low, soft music playing. The gal washed my face with scrubby stuff that smelled good several times then used hot towels to rinse it. She massaged my face with gentle circles and strokes and pats. She put on a bunch of different good smelling stuff then left something on to let it dry for about 10 minutes. I forgot she was in the room and fell asleep and woke myself snoring a couple of times. She was sitting above my head where i couldn’t see her and must have been holding in laughter. Then she put on a really thick gel like cold mask, all over, and filled in my lips and eye sockets so the only thing open were my nostrils. She also let that dry so I took another short nap. Then she peeled that off in one big piece and went to work putting good smelling stuff on with soft strokes. My face felt plump and smooth when I walked out completely relaxed. I was in there over two hours.
dianegclark 